The City of Venice has hosted a spectacular parade of futuristic boats on its iconic Grand Canal to mark this weekend’s E1 Venice GP.

History and the future collided as the RaceBird, the world’s first all-electric raceboat which utilises revolutionary hydrofoiling technology, passed through the famous waters of the Grand Canal in formation to stun residents and tourists.

The raceboats, often described as resembling something out of Star Wars owing to their futuristic design, will compete in the city for the first time this weekend as part of the UIM E1 World Championship, the first-of-its kind electric raceboat Championship.

The nine teams which compete in the Championship were represented in the parade, including those owned by megastars such as Tom Brady, Will Smith and Rafael Nadal.

Brady, who is in Venice to back his team, was spotted making a big play on the Grand Canal after throwing a football to Team Brady pilot Emma Kimiläinen.

The fledgling race series has a sustainability mission to accelerate the electrification of marine transport through clean technology with ambitions to inspire and support iconic coastal cities in transitioning to a greener future.

The parade provided the City of Venice with a window into its future, showcasing how electric boats could be adopted on the most famous waterways in the world.